U.S. Praises West European Powers’ Efforts in Security Council Vote

September 14, 1972

WASHINGTON (Sep. 13)

A State Department spokesman officially dissociated the department from a statement made by a senior department official, which called the British and French support Sunday of the UN Security Council Resolution “unconscionable.” “That is not a word I would use here,” department spokesman Charles Bray said today. “Their votes were cast in light of the judgments of their governments.” The US, casting its second veto in UN history, voted against the resolution, which called for an immediate halt in Middle East military activities, but did not mention the killing of 11 Israeli Olympic athletes.

Bray explained that the US had worked with the Council’s Western European members–Britain, France, Italy and Belgium–to amend “what we regarded as a one-sided resolution that failed to draw a clear link between Munich and the events in the (Middle East) area.” Britain had attempted to introduce an amendment to the three-power resolution which deplored “deeply all acts of terrorism and violence and all breaches of the ceasefire in the Middle East.” The three other Western European powers supported this amendment, but did not receive a majority vote. The amendment effort, Bray stated, was “a constructive effort on the part of Western Europe.”

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DISCUSS TERRORISM

In New York, a spokesman for the British Mission to the UN called reports that the US was dissatisfied with the British vote on the resolution “surprising and uncalled for.” He reiterated the statement made at the Security Council by British Ambassador Sir Colin Crowe, that while the amendment would have made the resolution more “realistic,” his delegation could not fail to support a call for an end to military operations and for restraint.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim said that on his own initiative he has introduced the issue of terrorism for discussion at the General Assembly session, which opens next week. Waldheim also said he believed “we have to do everything possible to find a solution to the Middle East problem” and added that UN Middle East mediator, Dr. Gunnar V. Jarring would be present at the General Assembly session “to be available, as he has done in the past.”

A UN spokesman announced today that tight security measures will be initiated in readiness for the opening session of the General Assembly. Additional security guards will be deployed to check all people entering the United Nations grounds.